Polan Gary, OD in Pacific Palisades, CA

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Telephone:	+1 310-459-0055
Website:	www.drgarypolan.com
Address:	970 Monument St, Pacific Palisades, CA, 90272 Pacific Palisades
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:	2.6 miMetro 2.9 miDowntown Santa Monica
Categories:	Optometrists

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By Appointment Only

Yes

Today

Today	9:00 am – 6:00 pm Closed now
Local time (Pacific Palisades)	19:31 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday	9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday	9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday	9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday	9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday	9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday	–
Sunday	–

Description

Specialties

My practice is based on individual care with each exam and consultation taking as long as needed. We carry all levels of designer eyewear including Fred, Gucci, Tag Heuer, Lafont, John Varvatos, Ferragamo, Kio Yammato, Ed Hardy and DKNY. We have an extensive collection of trial contact lenses which allows me to fit most people the same day. I work with the best LASIK and cataract surgeons in L.A. If you need that type of care we will find the right surgeon for you.

Vision therapy and sports vision remain my passion. Enhancing personal and/or athletic performance through my innovative therapies is the most gratifying part of my practice. If you feel you are not living up to your potential, I can probably help. Want to be a better reader, remember more, improve your golf score? I can help.

Helping students who are struggling in school or having to exert extra effort is a particular expertise. Dyslexia and ADHD are often misdiagnosed. Underlying vision problems are often the cause

History

Established in 1985.

I started in solo private practice after graduating from Southern California College of Optometry in 1984. I previously graduated from USC in 1978. It took me a year to pass national and state boards, find a practice location, build out my suite and select state of the art equipment. I opened my practice in May 1985 in Pacific Palisades, California.

I have been practicing in this beautiful city continuously for the past 26 years. I’m proud to be a member of this great community. I have established working relationships with many individuals over that time that have both fulfilled and gratified me.

Meet the Manager

Tricia H.

Manager

I am pleased to have a dedicated staff to serve my patients.

Tricia H is a licensed dispensing optician. She has continued to further her education each year she has been here. Tricia is skilled in frame selection and adjustment. She can guide you in proper lens selection for your particular vision need.

Contact lens selection and training are also skills she possesses. Tricia can help you with your insurance needs. Most importantly she can help solve most any concern you may have from insurance reimbursement to helping you get your contact lens rebates to fixing your broken glasses.

Marta B has become one of the leading vision therapists in Southern California. Her patience, understanding and tutoring skills are extraordinary.

Marta B can also help in frame selection and contact lens training and insurance matters. She is a valued member of our team.

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13 reviews of Polan Gary, OD

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Simru G.

Place rating: 5
Marina Del Rey, CA

Many people don’t believe in eye therapy, but I do believe it works. I’ve been researching this for a long time, I have seen the proof. Dr Boxer Refered me to Dr. Polan for eye therapy. Eye therapy works for lazy eye and some other related issues. As long as we do our homework, it really works, because laziness is in the brain, not in the eye. I only have a small problem on my right eye but I am definitely committed to go every week. He is very knowledgable and personable, not like other doctors, mainly most of them rush people. My eye therapist Martha is very sweet and approachable. She worked with me very patiently at my first visit, we played fun games, and worked my eye. Each therapy sessions take 30 min. At the end, feels like your eyes worked out for hours. That way, you can feel that it works. I definitely found the right people.

Chris G.

Place rating: 5
Northridge, CA

You never know how bad care is until you get good care! Used to go to Lenscrafters who switched my prescription without approval, resulting in having very little depth perception.
Came here at the request of wife who had dealings with them before. State of the art, on time, and on point, explaining everything about my eyes, plusses and minuses. Never felt rushed and he is an obviously accomplished professional. Got me new Alcon contacts and they were unbelievable how easy they are put on and how seamless they attached to my eyes.
This is my place for life. Kiss off Lenscrafters!

S T.

Place rating: 2
Topanga, CA

The way he licks the tip of his finger before grabbing a piece of paper really creeps me out. This is an old-fashioned habit that has no place in an office where things should be clean.
The appointment was fine otherwise, and I have been very happy with my contact lens prescription. However, I was so put off by that finger licking that I have been unable to compel myself to return. Now that I need some more contacts, I’m going to look elsewhere.

Keyan A.

Place rating: 5
Canyon Country, CA

This man is honest, hard working, and genuinely cares about his patients. I discovered him online. He is so nice and quite a perfectionist. I live 50 miles away now, and still see this guy.

Kathy W.

Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Polan is an amazing eye doctor. Hes the sweetest and most patient doctor ive seen. The staff is also great and polite. I look foward my next visit

Amy L.

Place rating: 5
Calabasas, CA

I love Dr. Polan and his staff. Everyone goes out of their way to make sure you get what you need and they are very knowledgable. I needed contacts for a trip and they made sure to fit me in their schedule and got me everything I needed.
I would recommend them to anyone looking for great service in a very welcoming, friendly environment. Dr. Polan is very through and really knows what he is doing!

Jamie W.

Place rating: 5
Santa Monica, CA

Dr Polan is the best! I’ve been coming to him for over 20 years, since I got glasses in elementary school, and every visit with him is a pleasure. He is patient, thorough, and never makes you feel rushed. He’s also a fantastic and trustworthy clinician. His office is bright and clean, and his office staff is warm and really know their stuff. Trish is a fantastic teacher, and does wonders with first-time contact lens wearers. A true gem of a practice!

Sophia C.

Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA

I love this place. I’ve been coming here since I first needed glasses in high school (now at about 10 years). Trish is always a pleasure to be around — super friendly and very helpful.
The last time I was there picking out new frames and lenses, I mentioned that I had been getting headaches when wearing my glasses (not a new prescription). Trish suggested that I had been picking bad frames for the bridge of my nose and suggested a lighter frame. It did the trick and the glasses are still beautiful.
Dr Polan always takes the time to explain what’s going on with my eyes at various appointments and will give you some exercises to do to improve your vision.
I’ve also occasionally had ocular migraines over the years, and his helpful tools have helped to lessen them over the years. Love this place and have recommended it to all my friends and family.

Nicole S.

Place rating: 5
Venice, CA

I really liked Dr. Polan and his staff. He is very knowledgeable and thorough, a real professional.
I had been going to another eye doctor in the Palisades, but Dr. Polan is significantly better. I was given some vision tests that I had never done before, which made a difference in the end result — absolutely clear vision. Very nice person, too. I highly recommend this office.

Corrina S.

Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA

I first went to Dr. Polan a little over a year ago. Before moving down to LA for school, I had been seeing the same optometrist since I was 12 years old, so I was really hesitant and apprehensive about going to a new doctor. I picked Dr. Polan’s office because he took my eye insurance and was the closest to my apt. Overall, I’m really happy with the service I receive at this office. Dr. Polan switched me to Acuvue Trueye disposable contact lens (I was wearing the old Focus Dailies for forever) and he told me the discomfort I felt towards the end of the days was due to my eyes not being able to breathe properly. I’m so glad I made the change because my eyes feel so much better. I had no idea that my contacts could cause poor eye health :(.
I also had my glasses lenses updated here too. Since my vision is so bad, I have to pay a little extra for the thinner lens, which I already knew about since I’ve had to do this since I was a teenager. What happened to me with my lenses is yet another reason I love this office. I tried to clean my new lenses with this eye glass cleaning spray I got from another place and they left this horrible streaking, weird stuff all over the lens and it wasn’t coming off!!! Having just paid a huge bill at the office, I was almost on the verge of tears. I brought them back to see if Trish (the assistant/receptionist) could do anything with them. She said she would call the makers and see what could be done and maybe they could do us a favor. About a week later, she called me to tell me to come pick up my new lens. SHE GOT THEM TO RE-DO THE LENS AT NO COST TO ME! :D I was so so so happy!
Every time I come in, I am warmly greeted and anything I need is done quickly and efficiently. They also have a great selection of designer frames! It’s a small office, but everyone is very knowledgeable, organized, and pleasant. I would def recommend this place to anyone looking for an optometrist in the area.

Jonathan B.

Place rating: 5
Marina Del Rey, CA

Do you have eye strain headaches, reading problems, attention deficit issues for children, or sports performance challenges? Can any of this be cured without surgery or drugs? Yes!!!
Dr. Gary Polan is THE premier practitioner of Vision Training or Sports Vision Training in the United States. He is one of the original pioneers in the field of Developmental Optometry. His expertise and authority has been confirmed by the world famous Jules Stein Eye Institute at the UCLA Medical School.
Dr. Polan can actually lengthen and improve ANY athletes career through improved dynamic visual training. Hockey players, tennis players, and baseball players are just some of the athletes he has helped learn better eye performance.
Every day he works with children and adults who battle issues of eye teamwork for daily living or enhancing performance. Remember— All eye skills are learned and can be trained like any other muscle system in the body, when you have the skills and knowledge of Dr. Polan. Go to
and see him today!

Amy G.

Place rating: 5
PACIFIC PLSDS, CA

I was referred by 2 patients of Dr. Polan and I couldn’t be happier. I got both progressive lens glasses and my first contacts from him. My multi-focal contacts are great, but only because he took a tremendous amount of time and effort getting just the right ones for me. He is patient, personable, and highly professional. But best of all, he is a perfectionist when it came to getting the sharpest possible vision I could have. He devoted far more effort than previous eye doctors I have been to (both optometrists and ophthalmologists.) His office staff, especially Tricia, is also terrific. I am very pleased to have him for my eye m.d.

Matt I.

Place rating: 4
Santa Monica, CA

I was referred to Dr. Polan by someone I don’t know that well so I was hesitant to check him out. I’d say I was happy with my choice. His office is clean and presentable. Everyone in his office was fairly friendly and he seemed to know his stuff. The location is great and close to where I work and he had a decent sized collection of glasses to choose from.
One big thing I liked was that he didn’t want to give me a strong prescription because he didn’t want me needing glasses for the rest of my life. At least not at such a young age. I am always leery when doctors start suggestions medications or permanent fixes, so I was happy to hear him tell me there was a chance I could be out glasses in a year if my eyes corrected themselves. Of course this was my own situation, yours may vary.
He also seemed to have a really cool Vision Therapy Center in the room next door which had all these cool vision games. I didn’t participate because I didn’t need Vision Therapy but it actually looked like fun.
Overall my experience was pretty good. And he took my insurance!

Polan Gary, OD

Pacific Palisades, United States